<p>Hi! I'm a junior in high school living in California. My goals are to move to new york and become a social worker or an industrial psychologist. I'm aiming towards NYU or CUNY, but I'm afraid that I wouldn't survive financially. Should I go to a community college so I could become an official resident and then go to a university? To be honest though, I'm one of the AP students and even my friends say that I shouldn't go down to as low as going to a junior college. What should I do? :(</p>
<p>Is there any other college in New York that would suit me?</p>
<p>Oh, also, I hope that if I apply for financial aid in California that it would still be attainable when I'm out-of-state?</p>
<p>In most states you have to move full time to the state at least 12 months BEFORE enrolling in any higher ed institution, sever all ties (financial and otherwise) to your former state, and demonstrate an income sufficient for self-sufficiency in order to get in-state tuition. And if you’re under 24, your status will depend upon your parents’ domicile, not your own actions.</p>
<p>I know you don’t want to hear this, but New York is not the absolute best place on Earth to go to school. There are excellent schools in New York, but California has some of the best universities in the world, and you would qualify for in-state tuition. Keep in mind that you would probably want to go to graduate school. Also, do you want to be so far away from your family?</p>
<p>I believe that financial aid is constant whether in or out of state. Of course, out-of-state will still cost more. Also, keep in mind CUNY really does not have dorms.</p>
<p>You want to go to NYU and pay $60K/year to become a social worker? You’ll end up paying forever (just a little hyperbole). Why don’t you get your degree in CA and THEN move to NY?</p>
<p>Check out Molloy College on Long Island a suburb of NYC, it is a small private Catholic college with a good social work program I believe coordinated with Fordham University in the upper level courses also check out Adelphi you might get good fin aid as they look to attract out of state and it would put you close to NYC with possible internships ect</p>
<p>“I believe that financial aid is constant whether in or out of state.”</p>
<p>Not exactly so.</p>
<p>If you qualify for need-based aid as determined by the FAFSA, you should be able to receive Pell grants and subsidized Stafford loans at any community college or 4-year college/university that participates in the program. There are other types of federal money (Perkins, work-study) that not all institutions have available - or divvy up on a first come first served basis. Few state grant monies can be taken out of state. Some states will let you use state money in another state IF the specific major you need is not offered in your home state. That is not likely with California which has a large and comprehensive community college and university system. </p>
<p>And before your parents go into a death-spiral about the costs of your college education, point them to the Financial Aid and Parents Forums here. They will find lots of support and ideas there. You don’t have to share your login. They can make their own.</p>
<p>I agree with Erin’s Dad… check out the earning potential of social workers before you plunk down $60k a year for the u/g degree. From what I’ve seen, social worker’s salaries are often not guaranteed; they get paid when (and if) their clients show up. Talk to folks who are already licensed to find out what they went thru, what they’d do differently, etc. I’m sure it’s an admirable career, but be wise how you approach it.</p>
<p>Right now, your strategy has a lot of holes in it. </p>
<p>1) You need to ask your parents how much they can pay each year</p>
<p>2) If your parents are lowish income, then you need to take that into acct. That will largely determine where you can afford to go to school.</p>
<p>3) You can’t move to NY, go to a CC, and become a resident.</p>
<p>4) NYU is super expensive and gives LOUSY aid.</p>
<p>5) What are your stats? GPA? test scores???</p>
<p>6) if your family has a good income, but can’t pay much, then you need to look for merit scholarships.</p>
<p>7) USC and UCLA have EXCELLENT programs in Social Work. One of my sisters is a LCSW from USC.</p>
<p>8) An undergrad degree in Social Work is worth very little. To make any real money you need to do the grad program and become a LCSW (Licensed Clinical Social Worker). However, any SW grad program is expensive and it took my sis a LONG time to pay off her student loans (which she ONLY had for grad school). She had no debt for undergrad.</p>
<p>Thank you everybody for replying!
So from what I read, I CAN’T use the financial aid I get from California for New york. Also, I can’t enroll into any colleges until I’m a resident?</p>
<p>Since a few of you are saying that becoming a social worker is difficult, should I shift my weight over to becoming an industrial psychologist then?</p>
<p>Regarding payment I was planning to pay for it all by myself, my parents have low income. </p>
<p>Oh man, I thought I had my life all planned out but now it seems like I’m screwed.</p>
<p>Oh yeah, forgot to mention my grades! I believe that my GPA’s 3.6 and my first SAT score was 1450. I didn’t study for that SAT and I believe that the essay question was hard to work with in general. So I’m planning on studying over summer and then take the SAT again in the beginning of my senior year.</p>
<p>If you need to pay for all of your education yourself, then you need to learn about your options. Start by reading through everything at [FinAid</a>! Financial Aid, College Scholarships and Student Loans](<a href=“http://www.finaid.org%5DFinAid”>http://www.finaid.org) and at [Student</a> Aid on the Web](<a href=“http://studentaid.ed.gov/PORTALSWebApp/students/english/index.jsp]Student”>http://studentaid.ed.gov/PORTALSWebApp/students/english/index.jsp) Talk with your guidance counselor for more ideas. You are fortunate to be in California where you can start at your closest community college and then transfer into the UC or CSU system to finish your degree. It is likely that would be the most affordable route for you.</p>
<p>I think it is harder to get a degree and get work as a psychologist than it is getting an LCSW. I did not think getting an LCSW was inordinately hard, but in California, it seems “MFT’s” are more popular.</p>
<p>Also, its not that you can’t enroll, it’s that you can’t become a resident for tuition purposes.</p>
<p>If your parents can’t help pay, you should consider living at home.</p>